


Nwalin Week

by Hobbitfing



Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Gen, M/M, Nwalin Week, Nwalin! Small like Nori; strong like Dwalin, background!Bagfurshield in Chapter Five
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-10
Updated: 2014-05-17
Packaged: 2018-01-24 05:51:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 12,108
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1593929
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hobbitfing/pseuds/Hobbitfing
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's Nwalin Week!</p><p> </p><p>Day 1: <b>“Before the Quest"</b> or "After the War of the Ring”</p><p>Day 2: <b>“Alternative Universe"</b> or "Different Setting in Middle Earth”</p><p>Day 3: <b>“Shapeshifter"</b> or "Freaky Friday Bodyswap”</p><p>Day 4: <b>“Rivendell"</b> or "Mirkwood”</p><p>Day 5: <b>“Braids"</b> or "Tattoos”</p><p>Day 6: “The One Ring" or <b>"Storm”</b></p><p>Day 7: <b>“First Times"</b> or "Last Times”</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Day One - Before the Quest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pre-Nwalin. 
> 
> Nori's been arrested one too many times. He can swear himself to Thorin and go on the Quest, or Dwalin can make his life very unpleasant.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nori is written by me, Hobbitfing
> 
> Dwalin is written by my wife
> 
> Aaaaaand it looks like pretty much everyone else was also written by my wife. Whoops.

Day 1: **“Before the Quest"** or "After the War of the Ring”

 

“I’m not going.”

“Fine. It’s your decision. You can either swear yourself to King Thorin and be a part of his Company, or you can stay in your cell and have your beard shaved off.”

Nori ground his teeth, audibly. “Try.” His hand flicked and twisted an invisible knife—all his obvious ones had been taken, and he wasn’t yet desperate enough to risk losing any more.

Dwalin grabbed him by the back of his neck, snarling. “There is a third choice too. You can have your neck broken.”

“You can try that too, love.” He slid a knife from a hidden sheath, reached back, and pressed it to Dwalin’s kidney. “I’ll escape eventually, and we both know it. Even if I do swear,” he spat, “what’s to stop me from leaving whenever I like?”

The big dwarf stilled, hand still on Nori’s neck. His lip twisted in disgust. “Only you would give your oath as if it meant nothing. I was sure you’d understand when you saw your brothers amongst his Company, but now I doubt even that would mean something to you.”

Nori felt the blood drain from his face, and the tip of the knife faltered. “What did you say?”

Dwalin elbowed him in the chest, dropping him to the stone floor and kicking away the knife. “Your brothers have already sworn themselves to him.”

“I don’t believe you. That’s a cheap shot, even from you.” Nori fell lightly and came up in a fighting crouch in case Dwalin went for him again.

“You think I’d lie? Even to someone like you?” The scar on Dwalin’s brow seemed to deepen when he scowled.

Nori made a rude gesture, telling Dwalin where he could put his ‘someone like you’, and a helpful suggestion of what to do once he got it there. “Fine. I need to see them.”

Dwalin picked up the knife, tucking it in the back of his belt. He drew out a small pair of manacles, grabbed Nori’s wrists and locked them in place. “Let’s go.”

Nori had expected Dwalin to refuse. He was taken by surprise when Dwalin grabbed him, and he didn’t struggle. “Do I have to wear these when I’m with them? I don’t want…”

“They’re with the rest of the Company, waiting for the last few dwarves to swear themselves. You can see them once you’ve sworn yourself over,” he pushed Nori out of the cell in front of him.

“I—no! I’m not swearing until I’ve spoken with them.” Nori hooked his leg through the cell bars as they passed.

“A few words, then, but nothing private,” Dwalin grumbled. He’d been dealing with Nori all day and it was starting to feel like an eternity. He was still hoping Thorin would change his mind about wanting the damn thief along.

“Fine.” Nori unwound himself and strode ahead of Dwalin, head high and eyes glittering. He was glad Dwalin hadn’t just broken his leg and thrown him back in the cell. He knew Dwalin wanted him on the quest about as much as he wanted to go.

The warrior guided him towards Thorin’s rooms, keeping a close eye on him. The rooms weren’t much, just a few small stone chambers, the main one with a large chair at the end and a few tables at the side. There weren’t very many dwarves there.

Nori craned his neck and peered into every corner. “Where is everyone?”

“This is it,” Dwalin hissed. “Watch your mouth here, or I swear to Mahal you will lose your beard.”

Dori and Ori were at one of the tables, sitting with Dwalin’s older brother. Dori stood when he saw him and gave him a look, but he walked towards him. Ori smiled at him and waved.

Fewer than twenty dwarves were accompanying Thorin on his suicide, and Dwalin thought Nori would join? Or let his brothers join? There was no way Nori was letting his family leave the mountain with Thorin. He dropped the shackles on Dwalin’s foot—too bad his boots were too thick for the guard to feel much of the impact, but he’d made his point. He nodded at Dori, then threw his younger brother a huge smile and rushed over to hug him fiercely. “Ori-lad! I’ve missed you. What’s this I hear about you going off with Thorin?”  
Still gripping Ori’s shoulders—much higher than the last time he’d seen his brother—he stood far enough back to see Ori’s face.

Ori grinned, nodding. “I’m still a year to my majority, but Balin and Dori vouched for me. Are you coming too?”

Dori patted Nori’s arm gently. “You look a bit thin,” he murmured.

Nori could practically feel Dwalin seething behind him.

“No, I’m not going, and neither are you! Dori, what in Mahal’s…name…are you thinking? Have you completely lost your tea-soaked mind since I saw you last?”

Their silver haired brother sat Nori down. “I am not going to argue with you about this. I was against Ori coming as well, but how on Mahal’s earth would he manage all alone for so long? Balin suggested he come along. He’ll be perfectly safe, there are plenty of warriors to take care of him.”

Nori threw out his hand, taking in the handful of dwarves in the room. “Plenty of warriors? I’d hardly trust this lot to guard a caravan, never mind face a dragon! He doesn’t need to worry about being alone. You’re not going, and neither is he. Not if I have to drug you and lock you up myself.” He crossed his arms, firmly.

“Nori, we haven’t seen you in more than a year, and suddenly you’re deciding how to keep this family safe?” Dori smiled sadly. “This is important, you know it is. These are our people, Erebor is our home. If you intend to stay here and live with Ori for the next year, or possibly the rest of your lives, then fine. Ori can stay-” Ori started to protest, but Dori quickly cut him off. “But I know you can’t stay still. I won’t be leaving him behind and you cannot stop me from going.” His grey eyes were steely.

“Dori…” Nori pleaded, though he already knew he’d lost. He knew how far Dori could be pushed, and he knew when his brother had planted his boots and braced himself. “Ori, you can’t…” He knew he couldn’t convince Ori, either. There was a new…firmness to his younger brother, an unyielding strength that hadn’t been there a year ago. “Please.” He looked from one to the other. “Please.”

“You’re welcome to come with us,” Dori’s face softened. “but I’d understand if you didn’t want to.”

“I…” He looked away. Even if he could physically stop them from leaving, he knew they would resent him for the rest of their lives, and would do their best to catch up with the company. Hopefully a few weeks on the road would show them both, soft and gentle as they were, how miserable travel was and he could convince them to go home. In the meantime...he ruffled Ori’s hair, stroking the silky braids. “Looks like I’m coming along. Just to keep you two from dying.” He gave Ori an unusually serious look to show he meant it, that there truly would be a chance of death on the road.

Ori nodded, his face equally serious. Dori smiled, pressing their foreheads together. “I’m proud of you,” he murmured.

Dwalin stepped closer. He’d been listening and watching carefully.

Nori clenched his jaw. He couldn’t answer Dori. He could almost hear the trap sliding shut around him, and he hated it. “Happy?” he spat at Dwalin, glad of the distraction. He wasn't angry with the guard, not really. Without him, he might not have found out where his brothers were going before it was too late. But it was easier to be angry with Dwalin than his brothers.

Dwalin didn’t answer, but walked with the thief up to Thorin, who was talking quietly with his sister at the far end of the room.

When he saw where they were going, Nori balked. “No. No!” he hissed in Dwalin’s ear.

“You already agreed!” Dwalin pushed him forward.

Thorin’s brow furrowed as he saw Dwalin being so rough.

“If you think I’m doing this sober, you’re mad as an elf in a mine.” He ignored the king and princess.

Dis snorted and patted her brother’s thigh. “I’m going to make sure my boys get some sleep before you leave. Have fun!” She smirked at Dwalin, leaving.

The King chuckled. “Nori, I take it?”

Nori nodded, briskly. “Y’heard that?”

“Come sit,” Thorin nodded to the chair his sister had just vacated.

Nori glanced at Dwalin for confirmation, then remembered he didn’t need or want it. He hopped into the chair, spreading his legs and sprawling comfortably.

Dwalin glowered at him, continuing to stand, practically at attention.

“Do you want to join us?” Thorin asked Nori.

Nori blinked. Of all the things he’d imagined Thorin saying, that wasn’t one of them. “No,” he replied, before he could stop himself.

“I obviously can’t force you to come along,” Thorin told him. “I could chain you to Dwalin, but I think we both know that would do more harm than good in the long run and you’d probably just escape. Still, your brothers are both sworn to the Company. Will you go for them?”

“I have to.” At least until I can talk them into leaving, Nori added to himself. He couldn’t help but smile. Thorin wasn’t bad, for a noble. He saw how things were clearly enough.

“Good. Skills like yours will come in handy. You’ve spent more time travelling than most dwarves,” the King met Nori’s eyes steadily. “Do you swear yourself to me, do you swear to protect this Company?”

Nori matched Thorin’s gaze. He nodded, stiffly, and hoped Thorin wouldn’t demand anything more formal from him. He wished he was drunk, and he wished horrible curses on Dwalin while he was at it.

Thorin took Nori’s hand and pressed something into his palm. “I swear the same to you.”

“I…thank you.” Nori slid off the chair and stumbled away from Thorin, and especially away from Dwalin. He didn’t see his brothers, and he hoped they’d gone to bed. Being well rested would slightly raise their chances of survival. Glancing around, he saw a familiar and friendly face. “Bofur! I need to be drunk. Now.” He sank onto a chair beside his friend, nodding at Bofur’s brother and cousin. He realized he was holding something. He let it drop to the table. It was a small silver amulet in the shape of the royal crest. Nori shuddered and slid it into an inside pocket so he wouldn’t have to look at it.

***

They rode out just before dawn. Nori’s head was pounding. Ori rode beside him, chattering and pointing out everything by the side of the road. Ori wasn’t usually this talkative when dwarves besides his brothers were present, and at the moment Nori dearly wished Ori would shut up and leave him to his gloom. He suggested that Ori draw something in the kindest voice he had available. Ori had been taking notes at an alarming rate; he’d need a new notebook before long.

Nori was a member of Thorin’s Company, and always he felt Dwalin’s eyes on his back.

He'd added a few especially obscene knots to the braid down his back for the guard to stare at.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We have a headcanon that beard-shaving is one of the very worst punishments for dwarvish criminals. It doesn't cause any physical harm, but it's a huge social stigma and causes great mental and emotional anguish. Dwarves have so few children and their numbers are so small that execution is almost unheard of. Dwalin may be a grumpy-lumpy, but he wouldn't actually kill Nori. (Probably...) Exile would be another very serious punishment--we subscribe to the fanon that dwarves _need_ mountains and other dwarves, and go kind of crazy without them. 
> 
> A related headcanon: the reason Dwalin's hair isn't braided is that he accidentally killed another dwarf during a fight when he was young. His beard was shaved for a year, and he wasn't allowed to braid for a certain amount of time (which has long passed. Thorin has told him he's free to braid, but Dwalin still feels guilty and that he deserves punishment. Balin doesn't braid out of solidarity for his brother).


	2. Day Two - Alternative Universe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daemon!AU. 
> 
> Nori never fully understood what he inherited from his uncle, but Balin does. (And there is Dwalin, too).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sori and the Black Key belong to Greenkangaroo...we're just borrowing them for a bit. 
> 
> Without permission. Yeah, there's some Nori-logic for you.
> 
> This is also pre-Nwalin, and you have my hearty apologies. (But it's _closer_ to full Nwalin realization than Day One. And their daemons know it's inevitable).

Day 2:  **“Alternative Universe"**  or "Different Setting in Middle Earth”

 

 

Nori was still kicking himself for having fallen for such a simple trap, though he suspected the simplicity was part of the reason he had overlooked it. He’d gotten cocky, thinking his body would naturally avoid most traps while he looked for subtler ones. At least the net didn’t separate him so far from his daemon that it hurt.

Bern sat beneath the slowly spinning net, staring up at it, his eyes narrowed. He occasionally allowed himself a short huff of irritation. “It’s no good. I don’t see how I can get you down.” The daemon had tried climbing the pole the net hung from, but his claws couldn’t get a good purchase on the smooth wood.

The net was made of steel cable, too thick for any of Nori’s knives to cut. If his brothers had been there they could have torn it apart, given a few minutes, but Nori didn’t have their mother’s strength. He was stuck like this until his captor appeared.

A large black bird landed on the top of the net, peering in at the captured dwarf. “Here,” she croaked.

Hairy warg balls. Nori knew that daemon, and who it belonged to.

Being caught by Dwalin was a minor inconvenience—a few lost hours spent in a cell, at most.

Being caught by Balin was far worse.

 

Balin’s daemon sat on the edge of the table, twisting her head to look at Nori and Bern. Balin had found them a small interrogation room. The raven, Anin, and her dwarf had the same piercing expression as Balin sat himself down opposite Nori. He looked over Bern quizzically.

“You’re old enough that your daemon has chosen a permanent shape, yes?” he asked.

That wasn’t at all what he’d been expecting. With Balin, he never knew what to expect, but a question about his daemon certainly wouldn’t have been the Nori’s first guess. Nori raised an elegantly braided eyebrow. “’course. Long past.”  He leaned back in his chair, legs sprawled, looking completely relaxed.

Bern lay on the floor, gazing up at Balin’s daemon with a hungry look to show they weren’t scared of it or its dwarf. His slightly bushy tail and the narrow ridge of raised fur on his spine gave away their true feelings.

“Is he naturally that color?”

Balin’s raven bent to preen, nonchalant under the eyes of the fox.

“Nope. I dye ‘im. Every Tuesday.” Nori idly inspected his nails for dirt, pulling out a small knife to dig it out with.

Not to be outdone, Bern curled into a perfect circle, tail over nose, and shut his eyes. He was clearly not asleep—his ears flicked at every sound, and his body was still tense and alert.

Balin raised an eyebrow. “Tell me about your family.”

Nori yawned without covering his mouth. “Just me ‘n my brothers. But you already know that.” He steepled his fingers and leaned toward Balin. He didn’t know exactly what game Balin was playing, but he wished the old dwarf would get to the point.

“Your mother was Kori, and you had an uncle, Sori, am I right?”

Nori raised his eyebrow again and motioned for Balin to continue. Nori and Bern exchanged a quick glance before Bern continued pretending to be comfortable enough to sleep beneath the raven’s watchful eyes.

“Sori’s daemon was also a black fox?”

“It was.” It wasn’t unheard of for family members to have the same or similar daemons, and Nori and his uncle were very much alike. Sori and Yla had taught Nori and Bern a great deal about the shady arts.

Balin sighed, smoothing his beard and sitting back in his chair. Anin cocked her head, finishing her preening and beginning to sharpen her beak on the side of the table. “Did he ever give you a small, black key?”

“Might’ve.” Nori felt his shoulders tighten, and he knew Balin would notice. Balin never asked questions he didn’t already know the answers to, and Nori knew it.

Bern stood, no longer even pretending to be relaxed. He stared intently at the raven, lip lifted just enough to show a white flash of fang against his dark fur. They were usually better at concealing their thoughts, but two hours in a spinning net hadn’t done them any good—which was probably the point of leaving them for so long.

The white bearded dwarf leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. “That key is a symbol of his service to King Thror.”

Nori snorted, his fingers flicking in a sign of disbelief.

“Do you know what the black key means?”

Balin knew he had it, so Nori allowed his hand to drift to his collar, feeling the outline of the key his uncle had given him as a child. Sori had made Nori swear, with blood and braid, to keep the key secret and safe. Nori didn’t want to admit his ignorance to Balin. He had suspicions of what the key meant, though his uncle hadn’t given him any explanation. He drew it out of his shirt, holding it for Balin to see. Maybe he could avoid having to answer.

Bern sat pressed against Nori’s leg. His tail swept the floor once, twice, three times in agitation, but he stayed silent.

“The King’s Spymaster was traditionally called the Black Key,” Balin studied the key, Anin lifting her head and turning it in that odd way that birds do. “Their service to the king was kept secret, very few people knew who they were or what they did. Your uncle was the last Spymaster of Durin’s folk. He disappeared after Erebor fell and as far as anyone knew, he’d never trained a replacement,” here Balin met Nori’s eyes.

“My uncle was just…” Nori trailed off, unable to protest while Balin pinned him with that stare. He unclasped the chain from around his neck and slowly placed the key on the table for Balin to examine if he wanted. “What does that mean? For me.”

Balin picked up the key and turned it over between his gloved fingers. “Do you think he was training you to take over?”

“I knew he was training me, but he never…I don’t know, sat me down and outlined it. It just started as a game—he’d hide presents on himself, and if I found ‘em I could keep ‘em. He tried with Dori, I think, when I was really little, but Dori was rubbish at it.” Nori laughed. “He’d always just try to sweet-talk his way into getting them. I got good at it, and he started making it harder. At some point…it wasn’t a game anymore. He never met Ori.”

“Would you swear yourself to Thorin and Durin’s folk?”

“Like I said, what’s in it for me? I’m not going to swear myself and end up a pretty pet, to be trotted out to pick pockets for show. And I’m not swearing myself so I can get sent off to be killed.”

Bern circled the table until he could see the raven again. He remained standing, legs tensed, ready to spring.

“You won’t be ‘trotted out’. No one outside the royal family is supposed to know the Black Key exists. The Spymaster is given access to the funds they need.  Their family will be taken care of. The work can be very dangerous, but so is being a thief,” Balin shrugged. “What would you want to get out of it?”

Nori realized he was fretting at a loose thread on his sleeve and forced his hands to be still. “How do you know I’d be any good at it?”

“I hear Dwalin complain about chasing you,” Balin smiled into his beard, “and about how quickly you escape your cell. Do you not think you could manage it?”

“Do  _you_  think I could manage it?” Nori returned the smile. It pleased him to hear that Dwalin talked to Balin about how difficult he was.

“Yes.”

“I trust you can find a way to get my brothers money without Dori suspecting either of us. What, exactly, do I have to swear?”

“I’ll dig out the exact wording tomorrow, but I believe it’s something along the lines of protecting the King and his people at all costs,” Balin stood, Anin hopping up to his shoulder with a flap of her wings. “Would you care to spend the night at my house? You’re welcome to go anywhere, from here, but it’s late to be waking up your brothers.”

“Ah…there is one more thing. I know not much surprises you—no need to be coy—but I have on my person something that might be a hindrance to my swearing an oath.” If Balin knew, there was no reason to say it aloud unnecessarily. And if he didn’t…he met Bern’s eyes. He knew Bern would have checked the room for possible escape routes, but there was only one. And Balin had placed himself between it and Nori.

“We can talk about it tomorrow,” Balin told him, opening the door.

“It’s kind of important.” Potentially execution-worthy important.

“Do you regret it?” Balin sighed, turning back to look at Nori. Anin yawned and stretched her wings. Normally she was as unreadable as the eldest Fundinson, but clearly they were both tired.

“I…” Nori had never asked himself that question about that particular decision before. He thought for a moment. “I don’t  _not_  regret it,” he said, carefully.

“Will you call him your King?”

Nori clenched his teeth, his hand absently stroking the top of Bern’s head. He had stood with Balin, so they weren’t unequal if he needed to take action. He was a third Balin’s age, but he knew underestimating the old dwarf could be fatal. It wasn’t so much that he disliked Thorin or had something against the noble family. It was the  _idea_  of calling someone king. Of being owned. He knew what freedom was worth, and it wasn’t a lot. He liked the idea of Dori properly decked out in finery and blinding jewels, of Ori with books of his own. “I will.” Dwarves were supposed to feel drawn to their royalty, comforted by their presence. Nori had never felt it, and he didn’t believe a simple oath would change anything.

“Then we can talk about it tomorrow. You can meet him and decide then if you still want to be a Black Key,” Balin went through the door, Anin hopping so she was facing behind Balin, watching Nori and Bern as he left. It may have been Nori’s imagination, but he could have sworn the raven winked at him.

“Creepy,” Bern muttered.

“Very,” Nori agreed, following the pair. He grabbed his key and fastened it around his neck again.

***

Balin let Nori into his house. The whole city was dark and quiet at this point, but there was a light on, welcoming them in. Dwalin was curled up by the window in a pile of furs. He sat straight up when he saw who was behind Balin, giving his brother an incredulous look. What had seemed like part of the furs sat up with him. It was his daemon, a big grey ram, who had been acting as a pillow for Dwalin.

“What is going on?”

Nori shrugged, his mouth curving into a wicked smile.

Bern trotted ahead. He walked right up to Dwalin’s daemon, snapping at the ram’s heels and darting away before the larger daemon could react. There were few things Bern enjoyed more than tormenting Dwalin’s daemon.

Unluk snorted and started to push out from under Dwalin, before he grabbed his daemon by the horns and sat him back down.

Balin was trying to keep a straight face, but ended up coughing to cover his laughter. “Nori will be staying with us tonight. Behave,” he told them both. “I’m going to sleep. I do not want to be woken up until well after dawn.”

Anin flapped down onto Unluk, carefully groomed the fluff between the ram’s horns, then flew after Balin towards their bedroom.

Dwalin gave Nori a glare, but didn’t argue with his brother.

Nori coughed, delicately. “I don’t like this any more than you do,” he said, carefully not watching Bern slink up behind the ram, “but your brother is very persuasive.”

“He is that,” Dwalin grumbled, standing. “The guest room is at the end of the hall,” he nodded towards it. “The door’s marked with a boar.”

Unluk managed to get down from the fur-covered windowsill with minimal stumbling, shaking his great furry head, ears flapping.

Bern sprang, leaping onto the ram’s back and grabbing a mouthful of fleece before bounding back to Nori’s side.

Unluk leapt straight into the air and twisted, horns hitting Dwalin in the knee on his return to earth. Dwalin swore, reaching for the fox before he realized what he was doing.

Nori put a hand on Bern’s head, giving him a mock-stern look. “Right. ‘Night.”

Dwalin bent to smooth Unluk’s coat, grumbling with his daemon about the intruders.

***

The bedroom had a window, which Nori was grateful for. He opened it, oiling the hinges until he was sure they moved smoothly and silently before latching it again. The door had no lock, but there was a chair he could prop against it to stop or slow down intruders. He was safe, or as safe as he was likely to get with Dwalin just down the hall.

“Not how I expected today to go.” Bern sprang onto the bed and curled up at the foot of it, watching Nori over the tuft of his tail. He still had the hank of wool he’d stolen from Dwalin’s daemon, and he tucked it beneath himself. 

“Too right.” Nori finished his night time preparations. The day caught up with him all at once—the hours spent in the net, the exhausting verbal sparring with Balin—and he was tired. He undressed to his underwear, removing any knives that would be uncomfortable for sleeping. He let his hair down and gathered it into one thick braid down his back. He blew out the lamp and got into the bed, careful not to kick his daemon.

***

Nori woke to a quiet knock.

“It’s Balin,” Bern confirmed, sniffing under the door.

Nori moved the chair and opened the door. “I’m still here, and your brother hasn’t even threatened to throttle me yet.”

“That’s good,” Balin chuckled. “He’s still sulking in his room. I’m afraid I’ve been called away, I won’t be back until tonight. There’s plenty of food here if you want to stay, but you’re free to leave anytime.” Anin was perched on his shoulder, but her beak was buried under her wing and she didn’t stir when he spoke.

“All right.” Nori felt a little at a loss. Balin had revealed that Nori had a special destiny the night before, and now he was leaving.

“There are some books on Black Keys on the table, if you want to find out a bit more. They’re older books, though, so nothing about your uncle,” Balin clapped Nori’s shoulder gently with his gloved hand. “I won’t be long. Please try not to kill my brother.”

Nori gave Balin his best innocent expression. “Aren’t you worried about him killing me?”

“I told him not to,” Balin chuckled, heading out. “There are pies in the pantry, but I suggest saving one or two for Dwalin,” he called back as he left.

Nori dressed and armed himself for something to do. He considered hiding in his room like Dwalin, but the thought of pies and information lured him out. As promised, there were several—very thin—books on the table for him.

“I’ll get us some pies, shall I?” Bern pawed open the pantry.

“No you won’t. You’ll get slobber all over them.” Nori followed his daemon, grabbing a pie for each of them. They both ate quickly, licking gravy off their respective chops, before returning to the books. Nori sprawled by the window, where Dwalin had been the night before, and began to read.

Bern quickly grew restless and began to explore the house more thoroughly. “He’s still asleep, and his door is open,” he reported back to Nori. “He’s got his ram in bed with him. I’m not sure how one of them hasn’t fallen. The bed’s not very big.”

Nori nodded absently, frowning at the text. The writing was very small and the wording was old-fashioned. He’d never heard some of the words, and he wished the author would get to the point instead of dragging on and on without actually saying anything. He flipped forward a few pages. Still nothing Balin hadn’t already told him.

Bern gave a displeased huff at being ignored and trotted away to see what mischief he could get up to. Dwalin’s sleeping daemon was too tempting a target to resist. He slunk into Dwalin’s room on silent paws, assessing the sleeping pair and trying to decide his next move. Nori was being so boring, and the bed looked so warm and soft…Bern hopped up, finding a hollow against the ram’s belly. The wool was fragrant, but not unpleasantly so, and it was soft and puffy. Bern poked it with a paw. It sank into the wool without finding flesh beneath it. Bern curled against the ram’s warm, fluffy belly. Within a few minutes, he was asleep.

Unluk’s nose began to twitch not long after. He woke with a sneeze and turned to nibble at the itchy wool on his belly, only to find a sleeping fox curled up there. Twisting his neck, he lipped at Dwalin’s beard to wake him quietly. His dwarf groaned and raised his hands to push the ram away. Unluk snorted at him, whispering, “There’s a fox in the bed.”

Dwalin opened one eye, then slowly raised his head. Stifling a yawn, he looked down at the sleeping daemon and exchanged a look with Unluk.

The fox twitched in his sleep, nestling closer to the ram with a contented sigh.

Unluk stretched out his neck and groomed the fox’s soft black fur.

“What are you doing?!” Dwalin hissed.

The fox stretched and yawned broadly. He blinked, finding himself nose to nose with the much larger ram. He gave the ram’s nose a quick lick before leaping down and racing out of the room.

Unluk shook his head, standing up on the bed. Dwalin glowered at him, but the ram just looked pleased with himself. He jumped off the bed and chased after the fox. Dwalin rolled his eyes, grabbing a clean tunic and getting dressed.

Bern came tearing into the main room, jumping up beside Nori and grinning. “He’s right behind me!”

“Bern, I’m trying to read. What have you…”

Dwalin’s daemon skidded across the polished stone floor, nearly slamming into a wall. The ram bleated a challenge to Bern, his front hooves on the ledge where Nori and his daemon were sitting.

Bern yelped in delight and took off. Soon, both daemons were racing around the house, miraculously not destroying anything.

Nori looked up to see Dwalin, also watching their daemons behave like idiots. He shrugged and offered a semi-apologetic grin. “I’d offer you a pie, but I don’t think it’s safe to cross the room just yet.” He had to raise his voice a little to be heard over the sound of hooves on stone and the occasional yip from Bern. Dwalin’s ram was panting hard.

The big guard shook his head in amazement, finally stepping out and catching Unluk by the horns and letting him slide them both across the floor until he stopped. “Calm down, you’ll destroy the house,” he laughed.

Unluk’s sides were heaving like a bellows and he twisted to see where Bern had gone.

Bern had leaped to the top of a cabinet. Seeing that the ram was no longer after him, he threw back his head and called his victory. It was very loud in the confines of the house with echoing stone walls.

Nori rubbed his ears. “Ow. What’s gotten into you?” He glanced at Dwalin. The big guard seemed more amused than anything, so that was all right.

“Let’s get some water, after that,” Dwalin poured water into two stone bowls and left them on the floor. He got himself a pie and went to sit, watching Unluk lap up his water, getting lots of it on the floor.

Bern daintily drank his water beside the ram, not spilling a drop. When he’d had his fill, he carefully dipped one black forefoot in the bowl, and flicked water at the ram. He crouched, ready to begin a new round of chasing.

“I don’t know what’s gotten into him today.” Not exactly true—Nori loved being chased by Dwalin just as much as Bern liked being chased by Dwalin’s daemon.

“Really? This doesn’t remind you of anything?” Dwalin said around a mouthful of pie.

Unluk sprang after the fox, head down and horns aimed at the quick little creature.

Once cornered, Bern hopped over the ram’s back.

Seeing as he was going too fast to stop, Unluk rammed into the wall, making all the dishes rattle, before staggering back and turning to look for Bern.

“Unluk!” Dwalin yelled, blushing.

Bern sat and delicately licked a paw, giving the ram a disdainful look, as though he hadn’t just been romping.

“No. Not a thing.”

Unluk walked over to Bern and delicately lipped one of his big ears.

Bern yelped as though he’d been skewered. He rolled onto his back, growling fiercely, though it was clear he was playing. He gently nipped the ram’s throat, squirming until he was wedged between the ram’s front legs.

Nori watched, baffled. He glanced at Dwalin and shrugged. “It doesn’t look as though I’ll get much reading done this morning,” he said over the racket. “Did Balin tell you anything about why I’m here?”

“You might be working for Thorin in some capacity? He didn’t say much,” Dwalin was slowly getting redder and redder watching their daemons play fight.

“Something like that.” Nori rested his chin on his folded hands. “Not something I would have expected.” He frowned. “I don’t know if I’ll be able to do it,” he admitted.

“Why not?” Dwalin looked up at the younger dwarf.

“I’ve worked for people before, but that was different. They’d hired me to do something I knew how to do. I’ve even been a bodyguard before. But this…” Nori wasn’t sure how much Dwalin knew or was supposed to know about the Black Key, but he needed to talk to someone. Someone who wasn’t Balin, even if it would almost certainly get back to him. “Dwalin, no one in their right mind would let me be responsible for the king’s life.”

Dwalin made a bit of a face. “Don’t tell him I said this, but I’m not sure Thorin is  _entirely_  in his right mind,” he looked over at their daemons.

Unluk was rolling around on his back, kicking his hooves in the air, with Bern jumping and hopping around him, snapping at him and bouncing on his belly.

“You can always train before taking the job, you know.”

Nori had no idea what his daemon was up to, but he didn’t like it. He could feel how much Bern liked being close to Dwalin’s daemon. The ram made him feel safe and happy, which meant Nori felt safe and happy. It didn’t make sense, not with Dwalin or his daemon. “Who would I train with?” he asked, distracted by Bern gnawing on one of the ram’s forelegs like a leg of mutton.

“Me, if you wanted. I have been a bodyguard and I know my way around the royal family,” he shrugged.

Unluk bleated, flopped over on his side, then stuck out his tongue and closed his eyes, playing dead.

Bern curled up on his trophy, nestling deeply into the thick wool.

“Why would you do that for me?”

Unluk heaved a sigh, lifting his head to groom the fox.

“You’re going to be protecting Thorin. I want you to be prepared.”

“You do realize this will mean spending time with me.”

“Yes,” he looked askance at their daemons.

Nori scratched his beard thoughtfully. “If I do accept your brother’s offer, I might take you up on that. Bern, time to stretch.”

The fox opened one eye, looked at his dwarf, and closed it again.

“Suit yourself, lazy-fox. Would you help me? There are a few stretches that are easier with two.” Nori rose and found a clear stretch of wall. He braced himself against it, lifting a leg to the side.

“Alright,” Dwalin stood.

Unluk rested his chin on Bern and watched the two dwarves, sleepily. “What do I do?”

“Gently pull my leg up.” Nori glanced at Dwalin’s size. “ _Gently_.”

Dwalin took Nori’s ankle gently, pulling very slowly and watching Nori’s face for any signs of discomfort. His heart was in his throat the whole time. He couldn’t remember the last time someone had trusted him to do something that could potentially hurt them.

Nori asked Dwalin to stop a few times, nodding when he was ready to continue. “Not usually the part of me you grab,” he joked. There was something new and strange between them and Nori wasn’t sure what to make of it. It was probably Bern’s fault. “Though you almost had me by the ankle when I climbed that stall in the market. Other leg.”

“That was the only bit I could reach,” Dwalin muttered, taking the other leg and helping him stretch again.

“I know where you like to grab best.” Nori pulled free from Dwalin’s grip. They were standing very close to one another. Nori could smell Dwalin, feel the heat from his body. For a moment, he wanted to… “Feel like sparring? I could really use a good…spar.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little note about our daemon headcanons. In The Golden Compass, someone is mentioned as being one of those rare people whose daemon is the same gender as them. Both my wife and I interpret this as that person being gay. Nori and Dwalin's daemons are both male. 
> 
> Balin's is female because Balin is just...who even knows with Balin. 
> 
> We also imagine that, instead of just changing animal forms when they're young, dwarves' daemons also change gender to reflect their dwarf's. Some daemons, just like some dwarves, never settle as 'male' or 'female'. There's a whole range of genders and that's okay with everyone. 
> 
> \--
> 
> This story...really got away from us. Nori and Balin were just having so much fun with their verbal sparring, they both forgot about Dwalin. 
> 
> We literally stopped to take a break and I was like, waaaaait a minute...this is supposed to be for _Nwalin_ Week...
> 
> It cuts off kind of abruptly. We're hoping to continue it, but this was the first sort-of-good stopping point we could find.


	3. Day Three - Shapeshifter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone wants to know what sort of big, fierce animal Dwalin turns into. 
> 
> Nori already knows.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one was just written by me, Hobbitfing.

Day 3:  **“Shapeshifter"**  or "Freaky Friday Bodyswap”

 

“I heard it’s a bear. Not a regular bear— _huge_.”

“No, no, it’s a bull, with stones the size of your head. Everyone knows that.”

“Don’t be stupid!”

Nori snickered into his beard.

***

“Hi, sheepy. Nice sheepy.” Nori held out his hands and spoke in a soothing voice. He would’ve preferred to sneak up on the animal from behind and slit its throat before it knew what was coming, but the grey ram’s head had snapped up from the grass long before Nori had gotten close enough.

It watched the dwarf, carefully.

More than carefully. It had an expression of sheer outrage that was oddly familiar.

“Good sheepy. Just a little closer…”

“Baaaaaaah!” The ram gave a deep, threatening bleat, stomped, then lowered its head and broke into a run, charging Nori.

Nori easily rolled out of the way. “Not going to make this easy, are you?” He stayed crouched, watching the ram, his knife stuck point-down in the dirt. “Well, that’s alright.” Nori still had plenty of traveling food in his pack, though some fresh mutton wouldn’t have gone amiss. “Stringy old thing, anyway.”

The air rippled and shimmered and when it stopped, the ram was gone.

“Fuck me sideways with a mattock! Dwalin?”

“Do you always just go around trying to eat people?”

“You weren’t people. You were a ram.”

Dwalin gave a warning growl. He was naked and weaponless, but no less intimidating for it.

Possibly more.

“You…you were eating grass!”

Dwalin’s face and scalp flushed red. “Tell. No one.”

Nori shrugged. The animal a dwarf turned into was generally a fairly private matter. And he could see why Dwalin wouldn’t want word getting out that he turned into a big, fluffy sheep. Rams could certainly be dangerous, but they weren’t an animal most would list as ferocious or intimidating. “Ran out of food?” They were days from anyone or anything in any direction.

Dwalin grunted in response.

“What was that?” Nori asked, sweetly, pulling some waybread from his pack and crunching it loudly. Crumbs flew in every direction.

“Yes, dammit, I ran out of food!”

“Well, I’ll leave you be if you want some more yummy green stuff.” Nori grinned.

Dwalin growled again.

“C’mere.” He tossed Dwalin some food.

Dwalin grumbled something that might have been thanks.

“You’ve got something in your teeth.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...or is that 'sheepshifter'? 
> 
> Up next: actual Nwalin! (Almost)


	4. Day Four - Rivendell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nori is restless. Dwalin is suspicious. They (almost!) have sex. 
> 
> Implied past Nori/Lindir.

Being a thief meant reading people. The Company was guarded and watchful, and they stayed close together. The tension set Nori on edge. He’d tried to sneak Ori away so they could visit Rivendell’s library, but while Dori would turn a blind eye to Nori disappearing, he took a very dim view of him taking their youngest brother along.

Nori waited for Bofur to begin a bawdy story before slipping away. He’d been to Rivendell once before, and he’d been pleased to see Lindir again. He wasn’t half bad. For an elf.

Lindir had been assigned to keep an eye on the dwarves and he was suffering through it bravely. He’d provided them with food, watched them take the mattresses off the high beds and toss them on the floor, tried not to wince as they broke beautiful furniture for their fire… he’d even managed not to lose his calm when they left giant mats of coarse hair in the fountain they’d defiled. Still, it had been a trying day.

“ _Ronyo_ ,” he couldn’t help but smile when he saw Nori. He glanced over Nori’s head, seeing that he wasn’t alone. He was being followed by the big tattooed dwarf.

Nori smiled back. He caught Lindir’s glance and looked over his shoulder. “Piss off,” he told Dwalin, in a friendly enough way.

Dwalin just shot him a look and crossed his arms over his chest. But he stayed at a respectful distance, glowering.

Lindir’s smile was far more strained now. He reverted to being polite, rather than friendly. “Do you need anything?”

“Something to do. You’re probably stuck here, aren’t you, watching this lot?” Though there was one thing he could do… Nori stepped closer to the elf, lightly touching a strand of his hair. “Have you been practicing the knots I taught you?” Nori had explained, and Lindir had understood, that the elf couldn’t use the knots in his hair, but he could still make them out of thread or string. The knots Nori had taught him were very basic and simple, the sort taught to very young children. He’d hardly given away dwarvish secrets.

Dwalin wouldn’t see it that way, but that was rather the point.

The elf’s eyes flickered once again to Dwalin. If the dwarf seethed any harder, Lindir felt he was likely to start on fire. “I, I hear a bit of a commotion, I must go,” he excused himself, disentangling himself from Nori’s fingers.

“Later, then,” Nori called after the elf. He leaned against a nearby wall. “So, are you going to take his place?”

“What do you mean?” Dwalin growled, flexing his hands so the chains on his knuckledusters clinked.

Nori gave him a sly look.

The guard sneered, “I’d heard you fucked elves. I’d hoped you were better than to stoop that low.”

“Not ‘elves’. Just the one. And don’t be silly; I didn’t have to stoop.”

Even from a few feet away, Nori could hear Dwalin starting to grind his teeth. “You really don’t have any loyalty to your people, do you?” he stepped into Nori’s space, towering over him. Though he did it unconsciously, he often used his height to intimidate others when they argued with him.

Nori didn’t back down. “I can be quite loyal, if I’m being paid enough.”

“That’s _not loyalty_!” he roared. Dwalin’s nostrils flared and he clenched his fists again.

“I’m loyal to my people,” Nori replied, softly, “it’s just that I _choose_ my people.”

“It’s not a decision you get to make-!” he shouted, turning away from the damn thief and trying to get himself under control. If this got more out of hand he was going to kill the elf-fucking bastard and he was pretty sure Thorin would notice.

“It’s not a decision _you_ get to make,” he said, gently.

“You are born into your people, thief. But I shouldn’t expect you to understand loyalty,” he grumbled, walking back towards the group.

“Dwalin…” Nori wrapped his arms around himself. A strange feeling had come over him, and it wasn’t comfortable. He’d been so ready for a fight or a fuck, and now Dwalin was just walking away.

He stopped, waiting for Nori to continue.

“You’re right.” Nori laughed wryly.

“And?”

“I don’t know. I’m not ready to go back yet, and I don’t want to be alone.” He gave Dwalin a challenging stare. If honesty was what Dwalin wanted, Nori could be honest. For a few minutes, anyway.

He turned, raising an eyebrow. “Then why don’t you go suck that elf’s cock?”

“I might’ve, but _someone_ scared him off. Like I said, are you going to take his place?” He said it much more gently this time.

“Not my fault elves are cowards,” Dwalin smirked, putting his arms over his chest again.

“Maybe your smell scared him off. That bath didn’t help much. Even with the soap I stole, which I saw you use.” The brief moment of insecurity had passed, and Nori was prepared for another round of his favourite sport: Dwalin-baiting.

His nose wrinkled, “No wonder it stank so much, damn elvish soap. Might as well wash with Warg piss.”

Nori tsked. “Still, using stolen goods. You’re slipping.”

“Ori passed it to me. Didn’t occur to me it was stolen,” he snarked.

Nori scratched his beard thoughtfully. “Well, all right. If you say so.” The thief looked up at a distant sound. “I wanted to show Ori the library, but Dori’s got his beard in a twist and isn’t letting the poor lad get a braid’s length away.  Especially with me.”

“I wouldn’t let you take anyone I was responsible for exploring an Elvish library either,” Dwalin smirked at him.

“Yes, elves put terrible spells on their libraries. Anyone who enters gets turned into one. Want to try it?” Nori adjusted himself until he was standing straighter, his head held stiffly. He pulled his ears into points. “It’s too late for me, I’m afraid,” he said, slowly and with great dignity.

Dwalin laughed.

“I’m bored, and I’ll get into all sorts of trouble if you don’t come with me.”

“Mahal’s beard, why are you so interested in their library? I didn’t think you were the bookish type.”

“I’m not going to the library! I would’ve taken Ori but no, I’m not especially interested. I’m just going to take a wander. See if there’s anything worth nicking.” He held up Dwalin’s purse and jingled it. “Not like this. ‘S practically empty. Hardly worth the effort.”

Dwalin grabbed Nori’s wrist, scowling. “Stay out of my things, thief.” He took back his purse.

Instead of pulling away, Nori spun closer, until their bodies were nearly touching. “I will, now that I know they’re not worth bothering.” He wasn’t averse to a bit of rough play. Dwalin had scared off Lindir, but maybe there was still a chance for a fuck.

The big dwarf pushed him away, pocketing the little leather purse.

“How long’s it been?” Nori was pretty sure a subtle approach wouldn’t work very well with Dwalin.

“Since what?”

“I haven’t seen you go off with anyone—not that I’ve been watching, the way some people do—and I haven’t heard you stoking your forge. Seen you cuddle the hobbit a few nights, but I think that’s all it was. So either you’re very sneaky, which you’d probably take as an insult, or it’s been at least since we left Ered Luin.”

Dwalin’s ears went red and he grunted non-committally.

“That’s what I thought.” He’d have to be a little delicate here, or Dwalin would bolt like a struck pony. Moving slowly, he laid a finger on Dwalin’s inner wrist where the knuckledusters left it bare. He stroked, lightly, tracing the sensitive area.

The redness spread from his ears to his cheeks. “Why?” he seemed to force the word out.

“Why what?” Nori switched to his thumb, rubbing little circles.

“Why… why me?” he gritted out.

“Do you see anyone else? Why not you?” Nori slid his hand up Dwalin’s arm, his thumb tracing little patterns on Dwalin’s scarred skin.

Dwalin bit his lip to keep quiet. “Not here,” he hissed, eyes closing.

“’course not.” Nori turned to make sure Dwalin was following, then led the way down torchlit elvish paths. Some of them were made of stone, but it felt wrong, as though a strong wind would topple it over. Elf-fucker or not, Nori wasn’t appreciative of elvish stonework.

The guard followed, red faced and walking fast.

Elvish cities weren’t really designed with a discreet fuck in mind. Neither were dwarvish ones, as far as he knew, but they at least provided more opportunities. Lindir had shown Nori a few likely places, and one of them wasn’t too far from the Company. Far enough that they wouldn’t have to be too quiet, though. He led Dwalin into the small building, the purpose of which he didn’t know. It had begun as a natural cave, though the walls had been smoothed and niches were carved at regular intervals. There were enough pillows and cushions to make a fairly comfortable nest.

As soon as they were inside, Dwalin pushed Nori down into the cushions, pulling off his own fur and cloak.

“Mmm,” Nori gave an appreciative groan, spreading himself for Dwalin to admire. He rolled onto his side, head propped on his hand. “You certainly don’t disappoint.” He blinked slowly, like a satisfied cat, and watched Dwalin undress.

“Take off your clothes,” Dwalin’s voice was low and he sounded out of breath.

Nori obliged, slowly and sensually, his eyes never leaving Dwalin’s.

Dwalin’s hands were shaking as he struggled to undo his knuckledusters.

“May I?” Without waiting for an answer, Nori began unfastening the heavy knuckledusters. He kissed Dwalin’s bare, tattooed hands, slowly working his way out until he slid a fingertip into his mouth, still looking up at Dwalin.

His breath came out in a sigh and he sunk down to the cushions with Nori. He raised a big hand to cup the side of Nori’s face, stroking his beard. Slowly, he slid his hand back into the thief’s hair and pulled Nori’s head forwards, pressing their foreheads together.

Nori made a soft, purring noise and rubbed against Dwalin’s hand. He gently pulled Dwalin’s hand out of his hair. “I’ll need a moment, if you want to do that.”

“Sorry,” he murmured, “I don’t want to ruin your braids.”

“’S not just that.” Nori gently closed Dwalin’s eyes with his fingertips, trusting the guard not to peek. Well, almost. He stood facing Dwalin while he undid his hair and removed what he didn’t want found. “D’you want it all in one braid, or loose?”

“Loose.”

“Thought you might. Don’t think I haven’t noticed you staring.” Nori shook his hair loose and returned to Dwalin. “Where were we?” He grabbed one of Dwalin’s hands and slid a thick finger into his mouth, all the way to the knuckle.

Dwalin moaned, burying his free hand into Nori’s hair.

“Mmm,” Nori hummed around the finger filling his mouth. He sucked, hard, before slowly pulling his mouth back. He licked his lips, grinning up at Dwalin. “What’re you in the mood for?” He had a suspicion that he would have to make many, if not most, of the decisions during their encounter.

In wordless response, Dwalin grabbed a fistful of Nori’s long hair and pulled him into a kiss.

Nori cried out, the sound lost against Dwalin’s lips. He went limp, Dwalin’s grip on his hair the only thing keeping him sitting.

Lips still pressed together, the guard lay down, trying to get comfortable, pulling the smaller dwarf down with him, so Nori was laying on his bare chest.

Nori’s hands began to roam and stray, tracing old scars, exploring Dwalin.

Dwalin groaned, squirming a little.

Encouraged, Nori slid free, kissing his way down Dwalin’s front. He murmured appreciatively when he got to Dwalin’s dwarfhood. “Suck or fuck?” he asked, bluntly.

“I don’t know if I can do this,” he sat up.

Nori smiled and tickled Dwalin’s cock with a hank of his hair. “What do you think?” he asked it. He wrapped some hair around it and began gently stroking.

He swallowed hard, pushing Nori back. “I’m sorry.”

“Did I do something wrong?” Nori pulled back until he was sitting, giving Dwalin a little space. “I can do something…else.” He knew how much Dwalin liked his hair. He’d thought it would do the trick.

“It’s just been a long time,” he put his head in Nori’s lap. “Can we just stay here for awhile?”

Nori nodded, his fingers idly working through Dwalin’s hair. “’Course. Sorry?”

“It wasn’t you,” he shrugged a big shoulder. “You were right, that’s all.”

“Ah. When I said it’s been a while?” Nori gently stroked Dwalin’s temples, his fingers making little circles. “You probably don’t, but we can talk about it. If you’d like.” Nori was disappointed and a little frustrated, but he’d grown up around warriors, after the fall of Erebor and Azanulbizar. Dori had counselled many of them, sexually and otherwise, and Nori was used to their moods and peculiarities.

“I’m… no. That’s alright. Sorry I couldn’t. You can go find that skinny little elf if you need to,” he grumbled.

“You smell better.” Nori leaned forward and kissed Dwalin’s forehead. “You’ll get lines and look like your brother.” He smoothed the wrinkles with his fingertips.

“Mmm,” he intoned, eyes closing as he relaxed in Nori’s lap.

“Sleep. I’ll make sure we get back before we’re missed.” He kissed Dwalin again.

“Mmhm.”

When he was sure Dwalin was asleep, Nori inched his way out from beneath the guard, had a quick wank, and curled against Dwalin again. He was a light sleeper and had trained himself to only sleep for so long at a time. No one would know they’d been gone. Without Thorin and Balin around to insist, they hadn’t bothered to post a guard. No one would know what they’d done—or rather, hadn’t.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ronyo means fox.


	5. Day Five - "Braids"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nori and Dwalin's wedding. 
> 
> Someone is stupid enough to insult Dwalin's braiding abilities in front of Nori.

Day 5:  **“Braids"**  or "Tattoos”

 

“They’re fine. Don’t touch them. I’m going out like this, and you can’t stop me.” Nori gave his elder brother and his husband-to-be an uncharacteristically gentle smile, holding his hands over his wedding-braids so neither of them could touch his hair.

“Dori could just… fix them up a little?” Dwalin pleaded.

Dori nodded in agreement, trying not to say anything that would insult either of them and failing to hide his smile.

“No,” Nori told them, firmly. “It’s a tradition. And,” he held up a finger, before either of them could remark that he usually scoffed at tradition, “it’s one I happen to agree with. I braided Dwalin’s hair for our wedding, he braided mine, and I’m keeping it just like this.”

Dwalin gave him a pleading look. His hair looked perfect, braided with wedding gold more intricately than even the King’s hair had been on his wedding day. Nori’s hair, though… it looked as though it’d been braided by a dwarfling. As a dwarf who rarely braided his own hair, Dwalin didn’t have much practice. Only now was he regretting it.

“Well, just let me tuck in that one little piece…” Dori leaned forwards, fingers itching to fix it.

“No.” Nori smacked Dori’s hand. “It’s perfect.” He stretched up to kiss Dwalin’s cheek. “I’m opening the door now,” he warned. “You two might want to look less like you’ve just been smacked in the face with dead fishes.”

With a sigh of resignation, Dori checked his own hair quickly before Nori opened the door. Dwalin stepped up to his place beside his husband, looking down at him with an unsteady smile.

Nori smiled back, steadily. He threaded his arm through Dwalin’s and half-dragged his intended down the long corridor lined with solemn dwarves in bright, festive clothing. Once the boring bit was over, there would be feasting and drinking and music through the night. The idea was for the party to cover the newlyweds’ retreat to bed, but it never went unremarked.

“Some Royal Knotmaker,” an older dwarf Nori didn’t know muttered to the dwarf beside him, “can’t be much good at it if he goes around looking like _that_ on his wedding day.”

Disguising his scrutiny with a smile, Nori memorized the dwarf’s face, hair, beard. An opportunity would present itself during the feast, and Nori would prove just what sort of knotmaker he was.

Dwalin felt him tense and pinched his arm gently, looking down at him with what could be a smile, but was more likely a disapproving look.

Nori retaliated with the most innocent smile a dwarf had ever worn. They continued down the corridor to the throne.

Thorin stood in front of the throne, showing the high status of those being wed. His face was solemn if looked at head on, though he flashed Dwalin a smile when he caught his old friend’s eye.

As Thorin’s consorts, Bilbo and Bofur stood on either side and a little in front of Thorin. Bofur fretted at his stiff court clothes, grinning broadly and waving at dwarves he knew.

Bilbo held a mass of flowers. He was trembling with excitement, badly enough that the blossoms shook and the occasional petal was shaken loose.

The two lovers stopped in front of Thorin and bowed their heads. Dwalin gave Bilbo a wink. Dori, who had followed them down the aisle at a discreet distance, settled at the top near Bilbo and Bofur, waiting for his moment as Nori’s witness, beaming.

There were many things Thorin wanted to say, but couldn’t. Nori’s identity as the Black Key had to remain a secret. For this public ceremony, he was the Royal Knotmaker, a member of the Company, and nothing more. As for Dwalin…there weren’t words in any language Thorin knew to express his feelings for Dwalin. He saw Nori twitching with impatience from beneath his…creative…hairstyle and used the shortest, simplest joining ceremony. He stepped down from the throne’s dais, knelt, and held out a small stone box to Dwalin. It was unusual for a King to act as officiary and witness at a wedding, and Thorin was honoured to be Dwalin’s witness. He was glad Balin hadn’t been upset by his brother’s choice.

Dwalin knocked heads with Thorin briefly, taking the intricate copper bead out of the stone box. He swallowed back a few happy tears, determined to make it through at least the speaking part of the ceremony before he started to weep.

Dori came forward with a matching stone box, opening it for Nori and kissing his brother’s temple. He was already crying, tears streaming down his plump cheeks, a big smile on his face.

“Knock it off,” Nori hissed, mock-frowning at his brother, “you’re not s’posed to cry until after we’re done.” He opened the box Dori was still holding and removed the bead.

Dori waved him away, grabbing a handkerchief from Bilbo and dabbing at his eyes.

Dwalin wasn’t good at braiding; Nori wasn’t good at crafting. Each had insisted that, no matter what, he would love what the other made. Nori’s bead was made of twisted, knotted wire and was not remotely traditional. Dwalin hadn’t seen it yet, and Nori’s hand was trembling just a little as he offered it to his intended.

Dwalin stooped a little to affix his bead in the center of Nori’s beard, which was traditional for the ceremony. The beads could be moved tomorrow but for today, they would stay there.  He let Nori braid in his own bead quickly, the little wire creation that he’d made. Dwalin couldn’t read all the knots in it, there were so many, and so complicated, but the few he could pick out made his chest tighten with happiness.

Nori relaxed a little when Dwalin accepted the bead. If his eyes were damp, it was only because his ridiculous and lopsided hair kept poking him in the eye.

“They are joined,” Thorin announced.

Everything became sound and colour. Nori found himself almost bowled over by a flying hobbit, and he sneezed when a flower tickled his nose.

“I’m…I’m just so happy for you!” Bilbo had to shout to be heard over the general din. He was crying as badly as Dori.

Bofur gently pried the hobbit away and offered Nori a hand. “Well done, lad. I still have no idea how you’ve done it, but you’re married to Dwalin.”

Nori nodded in return, fingers twined with Dwalin’s. He couldn’t quite hear what Bofur was saying, but he could work out the gist of it.

Dwalin turned to Nori, wrapped his arms tight around him and pulled him up for a kiss. “I caught a thief,” he laughed in Nori’s ear.

“Maybe I stole a guard, did you think of that?” Nori replied, cheekily flicking Dwalin’s new bead. “Want to duck out early?” He pressed his lower body against Dwalin’s, letting his husband feel his eagerness.

“If we can,” he pressed their foreheads together. “Everyone’s going to want to congratulate us.”

As he said it, they were both squished by Dori, who could no longer contain himself as he burst into noisy, happy sobs.

“Oh, Dori…” Nori patted his brother’s back, slowly leading their group into the feasting hall. “Almost forgot,” he told Dwalin, “something I have to do before we leave.”

Dwalin caught him by the hand. “You don’t have to prove anything to anyone, Nori. Just let it be. At least today,” he pulled him to his side.

Nori flashed him a wicked grin. “I wouldn’t be the dwarf you love if I let it be.” He vanished into the crowd.

The big guard was left with the rest of the wedding party, laughing with Thorin as they headed into the feasting hall to sit at the main table. Balin and Ori joined them, each knocking heads with Balin. No one questioned Nori’s disappearance. Part of being the Black Key was that those who knew who he was never called attention to him appearing or disappearing.

It took longer to find the dwarf than to exact his revenge. In the end, he’d found the idiot by sound. “And did you see their beads? Copper and wire! You’d think they were paupers, not members of the Company.”

No one would think any dwarf in his right mind would braid, “elf fucker” and, “I lick warg cock” into his hair intentionally, but it would certainly call unwanted attention to him. And, Nori thought, it was a fitting commentary on the sort of dwarf he was. He slid his way back to his new husband, all smiles and innocence and the glow of being the Royal Knotmaker on his wedding day.

Dwalin smiled back at him with a raised eyebrow. “Enjoy yourself, husband?”

“Whatever do you mean, husband-dear?” Nori playfully batted eyelashes the colour of sparks, still playing the gentledwarf who wouldn’t dream of cutting your pursestrings, never mind your throat.

“I love you,” Dwalin chuckled.

“And I love you. C’mon. Let’s swipe some food and leave.” Nori popped a piece of fruit in his mouth, his fingers sliding past his lips, a trickle of juice running sensually down his chin. He licked it, slowly, his gaze never leaving Dwalin.

His husband leaned down and kissed Nori’s wet mouth, wrapping him up in his arms and finally feeling like they’d come home.

  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have you noticed that we have a headcanon for _everything_? Because we dooooooo...
> 
> Once again, the Black Key belongs to Greenkangaroo. 
> 
> Our headcanon is that, because Nori's position as the Black Key is secret, he has an official title that allows Thorin to show Nori is important to him and allows him to be around Thorin when he needs to but also disappear for long periods of time--Royal Knotmaker. It's sort of a meaningless title, usually given to more or less useless friends of the royal family (who may or may not have good knot skills).


	6. Day Six - Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dwalin has followed Nori a long way, and not for any reason Nori was expecting.

Day 6: “The One Ring" or  **"Storm”**

 

Nori loved the South. He loved the heat, the dry, scorching winds that carved the land into new and interesting shapes. He loved the buildings, the dark-skinned people, the strange accents and languages. He loved the food, spicy enough that his nose ran and his cheeks flushed. But most of all, he loved the rain.

He was ambivalent about the rain at home—it made travelling more miserable, and that was about all. But in the South, where it was so scarce, rain was a blessing even a foreigner could appreciate. The mornings after a rain were some of the best Nori had ever spent outside a mountain. He felt like an elf to admit it, but watching the flowers appear over night was nothing short of magic.

He would, however, have appreciated it more if the rain had chosen to wait a few days, until he could shake the dwarf following him. He had trudged on as best he could, frowning at every footprint he left in the rain-soft earth, until he could hardly see three feet in front of his face through the water pouring down and had been forced to turn aside and look for shelter. There were no caves in this part of the world, so he had to settle for a grove of trees. They were strange, Southern trees, with straight trunks and long leaves high above. They weren’t very good at keeping the rain off, but they gave him something to put his back against while he waited it out.

He’d been resting only an hour or so before he heard his shadow follow him into the trees, cursing quietly and panting. He pulled back his hood and peered into the trees, trying to see around the odd trunks.

“Oh, come here so I can light a fire.” It stayed dry enough beneath some of the larger leaves for at least a small fire, but Nori hadn’t wanted to risk the light being seen. It was almost inevitable that Dwalin would catch him now, and he didn’t feel like trying to keep running through the storm. “I’m impressed you kept up. I thought I’d lost you in the market.”

“You almost did,” Dwalin shook his arms to try and get some of the water off his sleeves. “Here,” he pulled a sheet of canvas out from his pack and started tying it between trees, giving them a small shelter.

“Thanks.” Nori often carried a similar drop cloth, but hadn’t thought he’d need one this far South. Together, they secured the canvas. Nori gathered the driest-looking leaves from beneath the trees and presented them to Dwalin without comment. Dwarves, as a rule, were better at lighting fires than elves or Men, but Nori’s fireskill was definitely on the low end of dwarfdom.

Dwalin got started on the fire, and soon they had a small one burning just at the edge of their shelter.  “Who were you stealing for?” he asked, still working on the fire.

Nori grabbed food from his pack and scrounged freely through Dwalin’s as well. “It was a bet.”

“A bet?” he sounded incredulous, taking off his wet cloak and unbuckling his knuckle dusters. “You stole from the royal family for a bet?”

“Sure.” Nori took his hair down, careful to make sure Dwalin didn’t see anything he oughtn’t, and braided it into one thick strand for sleeping and to make brushing easier in the morning. He decided Dwalin’s cooking pot was larger, so he settled it over the fire and started adding bits of their combined food.

“Let me see what you took,” he sighed, finally taking off his boots and warming his feet by the fire.

“Yeah, all right.” Nori had sold or traded most of what he’d taken by now—he’d only needed to prove that he’d stolen from the royal family, and he could do what he liked with the loot. He spread what was left on the ground for Dwalin to examine.

Dwalin looked it over before selecting a piece of amber about the size of a potato and pocketing it. “You just like making my life more difficult, don’t you?”

Nori grinned. “’course I do. It’s one of my greatest pleasures.” He frowned at what Dwalin had taken. “Is that all you’re taking? I thought you’d claim the lot.”

“This is what I came for,” he shrugged. “The rest of it’s not really worth taking back, or you would’ve sold it by now.”

“You came all this way for a rock.”

“It’s… a special rock,” he grimaced.

Nori snorted. “Don’t I at least get an explanation? I was thinking of taking it home for Ori—it’s got a big bug in it I thought he’d like.”

Dwalin laughed. “This is Fili’s birthstone. Kili can’t sleep without it, so I’m sure Dis and Thorin are having a lot of sleepless nights right now. If only I’d known you were taking it back to Ori. He knows the princes well enough to recognize bug-in-a-rock.”

“Bug-in-a-rock. You—oh, that’s too funny.” Nori poked at the fire so Dwalin wouldn’t see his smirk. “That’s all you want?”

“Yes.”

“You’ll just walk away in the morning?” He served Dwalin a dish of stew—in his own bowl, pilfered from the guard’s pack—and settled against a tree with his own steaming portion.

“Dragging you home would slow me down. I’m getting ravens every night from Thorin telling me to hurry, I don’t intend to waste any more time out here.” Dwalin tucked into his food, nodding in approval.

“Honestly, I don’t know why you put up with the lot of them. Isn’t it better out here?” He gestured to the wild, open lands around them.

“I have a duty to them,” Dwalin said quietly. “I doubt you’d understand.”

“I don’t,” Nori replied, just as quietly. “I’m…” he laughed mirthlessly, “I’m not much of a dwarf.” He shrugged and devoured another spoonful of stew.

“Maybe not, but at least you’re a better cook than I am.”

“Had to be. Dori’s cooking is deadly…except for his dumplings, of course.” Nori’s stomach growled loudly at the thought of Dori’s dumplings. He still had one Ori had slipped into his pack without telling him—luckily it had dried out instead of going mouldy, and he hadn’t been able to bring himself to throw it away.

“I can only manage to burn things,” Dwalin admitted. “Balin’s a better cook, but I’d rather travel with a real cook.”

“…unless you’re on a secret mission to recover the princes’ stolen rock.”

“It wasn’t a secret! It just had to be done fast!” Dwalin laughed, helping himself to another bowlful. “Admit it, you’d have done the same for Ori if he’d lost something precious to him.”

“Yeah, I would’ve. Scoot over; I’m cold.” He huddled next to Dwalin and they watched the rain fall.

 

 

 


	7. Day Seven: First Times

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first time Dwalin saw Nori, and the first time Nori saw Dwalin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one was written a little differently: the Dwalin part was only written by my wife, and the Nori section was only written by me.

Day 7:  **“First Times"**  or "Last Times”

 

 

The first time I saw him, he surprised me. The guard was around me, we were chasing a group of thieves. Orders were being shouted and I split into the alley on the off chance one of them would turn back toward the guard.

He was so small, I almost thought he must not be a part of the chase, but his sprint and wide eyes gave him away. The thief was panting, grinning. His eyes met mine. I expected him to stop short, as most thieves do when they see my bulk. Instead, he sped up.

My boots stalled and I grabbed for him. Like oil off an axe, he slipped by me, ducking my arms and rolling, before taking off down the alley. I sprinted after him, but by the time I’d gotten to the end of the alleyway, there was no sign of him.

Frustrated, I kicked the wall with my boot and committed his damn face to memory. He couldn’t have been more than 70, but he certainly moved with more confidence and grace than any 70 year old I’d ever met. His almost-red hair was done up on three little peaks, his beard still almost too short to braid, just twisted in three little knots.

“Damn thief,” I spat on the ground, jogging after the rest of the guard.

\---

“Mama, whozat?”

Kori half-knelt to see where her younger son was pointing. There were so many dwarves in the procession that it was hard to tell who his wavering finger was intended for. “Mmm, that’s Balin Fundinson. He’s the elder son of a nobleman, and he’s training to be a king’s advisor.”

Nori gave an impatient huff, pointing harder. “No no no, not the old one. _That_ one!”

“Ah, that’s his brother, Dwalin.”

“What’s he do?”

“He’s a guard.”

Nori’s eyes were huge as he looked up at his mother. “When I’m big, _I’m_ gonna be a guard, just like him!”

“I’m sure you will, darling.”

“Mama, could we please have a cup of tea? I’m awfully thirsty, and it’s so very hot.”

Nori stuck out his tongue at his older brother, before his gaze drifted back to Dwalin. He watched the crested guard as long as he could, until his mother pulled him out of sight.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dwalin's section takes place after the fall of Erebor, in Ered Luin. 
> 
> Nori's is in Erebor when he was very young, before Ori was born. 
> 
> Dori was born a fusspot, he'll die a fusspot, and only his teas will mourn him. (No, [he's lovely](http://hobbitfing.tumblr.com/post/84344492404/calgary-expoooooo-mark-hadlow). I'm quoting [Aladdin)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgV8z6sIS3Q)


End file.
